"Exercise in Your Garden!"

You could exercise in the garden but unless you have a private space, it may be wiser not to prance around in your leotard for all the neighbours to see.... but gardening is exercise in itself!

Half an hour in the garden can burn up as many calories as riding a bike ... of course we have to be realistic, if you are training for the Tour de France or potting up the begonias, the sum may not quite work. But a half hour of a little digging, weeding, raking and pruning will certainly burn up those calories.

Not only that but you are also absorbing Vitamin D - we are able to do this even when the sun isn't shining. And getting lots of fresh air in those lungs. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and reduces the risk of bone thinning diseases as we get older.

And, as any gardener will tell you, getting out there close to nature is rewarding in the extreme, nourishing mind and soul as well as the body.

Remember to enjoy your garden. Don't let it become a chore. A few flowers and herbs scattered around will help keep the inspiration alive.

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It's a good idea to do some cardio exercise every day. This could be walking, swimming, jogging or an aerobics class.

Walking is a good start to keeping fit if you are new to it. Walk as fast as you comfortably can, and aim to walk for about 20 minutes a day, but build up slowly to reduce the risk of sprained ankles or strained muscles. As with a healthy diet, exercising should be a pleasure, give you lots of energy and keep you fit and well toned - and ready to wow them on the beach next summer!

A daily workout will work wonders for your muscles and general health. If you are losing weight you should do some regular exercise to tone the muscles and redcue the sagging skin effect! I recently started an aerobics workout. I never thought I would, but it was about time I tried it. And I have to say I'm loving it. I do a fairly long workout every day, with a rest day once a week. I try to alternate the workouts - Try the Rosemary Conley triple DVD pack - not great music but the point is to get going on it, and she does make it easy for beginners - well, I use the word 'easy' loosely :-)

I do around 20-30 minutes of aerobics and about 20 minutes toning. I have heard that research shows we get more from our workouts by doing the toning exercises before the aerobics. Makes sense because the muscles will already be a little tired before you start the toning. Anyway, try it - I have to jiggle my furniture a bit, but it's definitely worth it.

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You can find vitamin and mineral information as well as delicious healthy recipes in my book recently published with Findhorn Press. Grow Your Own Pharmacy You really can grow enough fruit and veg to keep your family glowing with good health!

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Another popular way of getting your weekly exercise sessions done is by joining a gym. I belonged to a local gym for some time and would recommend everyone tries it at least twice! Look around; prices differ dramatically. And when you join make sure you have an assessment, where they will take your blood pressure, your weight and ask various medical questions. If you have a medical condition this should be discussed because some exercise will be counter-productive in certain cases. Raising weights above your head is not advisable if you have high blood pressure for example. You are doing this for you so it is important you take the medical seriously.

So, to wrap up, try and get into the garden every day for half an hour. And incorporate some stronger exercises into your daily routine and it will pay off. A couple of months shows amazing results. And conversely, you will have even more energy as a result of spending it. Doesn't make a lot of sense but it's absolutely true!

Happy Gardening!

More "Healthy" reading

http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/exercise.html